FRANCE REMAINS IN CHARGE OF RED BULL ISDE ON DAY 5

The 2012 Red Bull International Six Days Enduro has been characterized by a strong French flavor with more than a tinge of KTM right from the opening round on Monday. At the close of the penultimate round on Friday the French national teams were poised to take victory in the World, Junior and Women’s Trophies.

The French World Trophy Team, spearheaded by three KTM factory riders Antoine Meo (E1), Christophe Nambotin (E3) and Johnny Aubert (E2) wound up a longer, but somewhat easier day’s ride in Saxony Germany and have a commanding 35 minutes lead over Team Australia going into the final round.

Australia continues to hold on to the second place despite two of their mainstays – KTM’s Australian Offroad Champion Toby Price and teammate Glenn Kearney both riding injured. Italy and Finland with KTM factory rider Eero Remes are in fourth and fifth place.

While the World Trophy is all but settled, Nambotin and Meo are locked in battle to decide who will be the fastest rider overall. Meo led the action in the opening days but Nambotin currently has the edge. There is only eleven seconds separating the French teammates and this will be one of the most exciting aspects of the final day at Germany’s Sachsenring circuit. Riders will compete in a last stage with a Supermoto character with 40 percent actually on the asphalt of the circuit and 60 percent offroad. French teammate Johnny Aubert is third overall and trails leader Nambotin by 3:11 minutes. Their teammate Pierre-Alexandre Renet (Husaberg) is fourth underlying the total dominance of the French in this year’s ISDE.

The progressive lead in the individual E1, E2, and E3 categories is also in safe KTM hands. In E1, Meo has an almost five minute lead over KTM factory teammate Remes, who was the overall winner in the 2011 edition. Aubert is locked in battle with Renet for E2 glory and has a slender six-second lead. Nambotin is the E3 leader with an eight-minute lead over Australian Toby Price who has been riding all week with a bent wheel and since Wednesday, with damaged ribs.